Perth sales activity on the rise

Sales activity in the Perth metro area increased significantly in February.

REIWA President Hayden Groves said the market had enjoyed a healthy rebound following the Christmas and New Year dip.

“reiwa.com data shows sales activity in Perth lifted 16 per cent over the month and five per cent when compared to November 2015.

“We’ve also seen that weekly sales over the last three weeks are higher than they were at the same time last year. While it’s too early to call this a trend it’s a good indicator that mobility in the market is beginning to improve,” Mr Groves said.

At a sub-regional level, the Central sub-region had the strongest increase in sales activity over the month lifting a healthy 37 per cent, followed by the North West sub-region with a 24 per cent lift.

“Baldivis in the South West sub-region and Canning Vale in the South East sub-region were the top selling suburbs in February, followed by Scarborough in the Central sub-region,” Mr Groves said.

Perth’s median house price etched back 1.1 per cent in the three months to February, coming in at $529,000.

Listings

Mr Groves said there had been a three per cent increase in listings stock in February which wasn’t surprising as vendors traditionally returned to the market at the start of the year.

“This is a marginal increase given the time of year, but it’s significant to note that listings are now eight per cent lower than they were in November which suggests this could be the early stages of a correction in a market of prolonged higher than average stock levels,” Mr Groves said.

Rental market

Perth’s overall median rent price held firm at $400 per week in the three months to February 2016.

In terms of houses and units, Mr Groves said the median price for both was unchanged over the month at $400 and $380 per week respectively, but each had dipped $10 per week when compared to November 2015.

“While tenants are still in a good position to secure a competitively priced lease in Perth, it’s encouraging for investors that rent prices are appearing to steady in 2016,” Mr Groves said.

Rental listings in the Perth metro area declined three per cent in February but remain above the long term average.

LWP Property Group were out at Annie’s Landing, Ellenbrook this week and have posted these photos on their Facebook page stating that “the new primary school is really starting to take shape, which is super exciting to see. It is due to be opened in time for Term 1 next year”

Minimum increase in rates but still major works to continue in Ellenbrook. Although the City of Swan is keeping rate increase low this year to minimize any financial impact in these challenging economic times,they are borrowing to continue with major works such as the Ellenbrook Community Building, the southern playing fields for Ellenbrook Open Space and upgrades to Gnangara Rd.

The following is an article from Ellenbrook Advocate Wednesday July 8th 2015;

THE City of Swan’s budget for 2015-16 was released last week and includes funding for major projects in Ellenbrook, Midland and the Swan Valley.

RATES in the City of Swan will climb 3.25 per cent this financial year, following a trend of low rate rises across most metropolitan local governments this year

Swan’s last budget saw a 5 per cent rate increase and a publicly unpopular special levy applied to northern properties for a bridge over the Ellen Brook, which was later repealed.

In this year’s budget, the City has aimed to minimise financial impact on ratepayers, citing the current challenging economic climate in WA.

Swan’s 3.25 per cent rate rise absorbs an 8 per cent spike in the cost of utilities.

A State Government imposed landfill levy increase of 100 per cent will also be passed on to local ratepayers through the City’s sanitation charges.

Chief executive Mike Foley said he had to balance increasing demand for amenities and services with the aim of minimising financial burden to ratepayers.

“Everyone’s feeling the pinch a bit – unemployment is up in the area a bit we’ve noticed,” he said.

“Inflation is down around 22.5 per cent so we want to make sure we’re keeping our services relative but at the same time meeting the needs of the future.”

This financial year will also see the City increase its borrowing by raising new loans to almost $15 million, costing nearly $1m a year in debt servicing.

The debt will pay for big-ticket items like Paradise Quays aged care in Ballajura, land for Dayton’s neighbourhood park, a district park for Dayton, the Ellenbrook community building and the southern playing fields for Ellenbrook District Open Space.

Expenditure this year will reach $145.9 million, of which $71.2 million will be spent on staff and $42 million will be spent on capital works.

Taking into account all budgeting factors, the City’s overall surplus is at $439,000.

“The challenge has always been to provide the infrastructure that people want and particularly to fund the new requirements of new residents coming into the area,” Mr Foley said.

“We’ve taken out a loan program of some $14.5 million to help fund those big projects.”

Mr Foley said work on upgrading Gnangara Road would continue this year, and upgrades to Lloyd Street and Bishop Road in Midland would start.

The City will also see assets from developers of new estates roll over to its portfolio.

“We’re picking up some $42 million of assets from developers this financial year and that’s in the form of roads, drainage and new parks,” Mr Foley said.

“These are assets they have to give to us on top of developer contribution plans.”

Minimum increase in rates but still major works to continue in Ellenbrook. Although the City of Swan is keeping rate increase low this year to minimize any financial impact in these challenging economic times,they are borrowing to continue with major works such as the Ellenbrook Community Building, the southern playing fields for Ellenbrook Open Space and upgrades to Gnangara Rd.

The following is an article from Ellenbrook Advocate Wednesday July 8th 2015;

THE City of Swan’s budget for 2015-16 was released last week and includes funding for major projects in Ellenbrook, Midland and the Swan Valley.

RATES in the City of Swan will climb 3.25 per cent this financial year, following a trend of low rate rises across most metropolitan local governments this year

Swan’s last budget saw a 5 per cent rate increase and a publicly unpopular special levy applied to northern properties for a bridge over the Ellen Brook, which was later repealed.

In this year’s budget, the City has aimed to minimise financial impact on ratepayers, citing the current challenging economic climate in WA.

Swan’s 3.25 per cent rate rise absorbs an 8 per cent spike in the cost of utilities.

A State Government imposed landfill levy increase of 100 per cent will also be passed on to local ratepayers through the City’s sanitation charges.

Chief executive Mike Foley said he had to balance increasing demand for amenities and services with the aim of minimising financial burden to ratepayers.

“Everyone’s feeling the pinch a bit – unemployment is up in the area a bit we’ve noticed,” he said.

“Inflation is down around 22.5 per cent so we want to make sure we’re keeping our services relative but at the same time meeting the needs of the future.”

This financial year will also see the City increase its borrowing by raising new loans to almost $15 million, costing nearly $1m a year in debt servicing.

The debt will pay for big-ticket items like Paradise Quays aged care in Ballajura, land for Dayton’s neighbourhood park, a district park for Dayton, the Ellenbrook community building and the southern playing fields for Ellenbrook District Open Space.

Expenditure this year will reach $145.9 million, of which $71.2 million will be spent on staff and $42 million will be spent on capital works.

Taking into account all budgeting factors, the City’s overall surplus is at $439,000.

“The challenge has always been to provide the infrastructure that people want and particularly to fund the new requirements of new residents coming into the area,” Mr Foley said.

“We’ve taken out a loan program of some $14.5 million to help fund those big projects.”

Mr Foley said work on upgrading Gnangara Road would continue this year, and upgrades to Lloyd Street and Bishop Road in Midland would start.

The City will also see assets from developers of new estates roll over to its portfolio.

“We’re picking up some $42 million of assets from developers this financial year and that’s in the form of roads, drainage and new parks,” Mr Foley said.

“These are assets they have to give to us on top of developer contribution plans.”

THE long-awaited northern sporting fields and pavilion at Ellenbrook District Open Space are now officially open.

Cricket teams started using the facility last October when the grass was ready but last Friday’s official opening marked the completion of the pavilion, fields, playground and paths as a whole.

Ellenbrook’s local sporting teams can now make full use of the Ellenbrook District Outdoor Space northern playing fields.

The northern playing fields have enough space for two full-size AFL ovals, five junior AFL ovals and three cricket fields.

The new pavilion has meeting rooms, change rooms, clubrooms, a bar and catering facilities.

Ellenbrook Eels Football Club and the junior Ellenbrook Dockers will soon start using the oval for training and match days.

Premier Colin Barnett said at the opening ceremony the complete projects would form one of the best and most comprehensive sport and recreation precincts in the State.

“The pavilion is quite magnificent. This is not some little sporting club pavilion, it services two very strong clubs and the wider sports and recreation complex,” he said.

“As announced in the recent budget, we’ll also provide $7 million towards the Ellenbrook Recreation Centre, a commitment we made in 2013.”

About $2 million of that funding will go towards an aquatic facility for Ellenbrook.

Construction of the southern playing fields is set to start soon.

This will include four FIFA-rated synthetic soccer fields and the Ellenbrook Recreation Centre for indoor sports such as basketball, netball and badminton.

Ellenbrook ward Councillor Patty Williams said the sporting and recreational facility would attract people from surrounding areas to Ellenbrook.

“From its inception Ellenbrook has been designed to provide for the lifestyles of a growing community,” she said.

“The Ellenbrook District Open Space will draw even more people to the area through sporting competitions, events and recreational facility use and hopefully attract more people into sport and physical activity, which will contribute to the overall wellbeing of our community.”

Computer Skills

How to set-up a computer, how to create documents and emails and how to use the internet. This workshop helps people with the basic operation of a computer and it tailored to people who may never have used a computer before.

Places are limited so bookings are required.

For further information on this session or to place a booking, contact Ellenbrook Community Library on 9207 8787 orbook online.

The following article appeared on the Ellenbrook Advocates Facebook page;

Joel Kelly | May 27, 2015, 3:50 PM | THE ADVOCATE

Retail revelation for Ellenbrook

The north-west perspective of the new retail precinct at The Shops At Ellenbrook

ELLENBROOK’S main shopping centre is set for expansion, with its owners today announcing it will start building a new retail area for large shops.

Labelled the ‘bulky goods precinct’, shops there will generally be those that sell larger items from warehouse style buildings.

The expansion of The Shops At Ellenbrook will be separate to the existing building in an undeveloped parcel of land at the corner of Pinaster Parade and The Promenade.

The first tenant in the highly visible area will be First Choice Liquor Store.

Insurance Commission of Western Australia, who owns the shopping centre, plans to open the bulky goods precinct next year.

The commission’s chief executive Rod Whithear said the first stage of the project had council approval and would go out to tender soon.

“The development of the bulky goods precinct represents another step to ensure that Ellenbrook, as one of fastest growing urban areas in Perth, has the facilities to meet all community needs,” Mr Whithear said.

The Shops’ bulky goods precinct will be built progressively over the 4.3-hectare site.

Mr Whithear said that the bulky goods establishment was separate to the stage three expansion of the shopping centre, which has been planned for some time.

The Ellenbrook Advocate Reported on how Ellenbrook residents turned out in huge numbers to commemorate the Anzac Centenary. The ceremony was held at Woodlake Amphitheatre. Below is a post that local resident placed on The Advocates Facebook page about the event.

Janet PotschThis was a wonderful turn out to respect and remember the Anzacs……Mike & I decided to join the girls their hubbies and Aaron’s parents and brother at The Ellenbrook ceremony today. It was a great service very community based Girl Guides, Scouts , Police Cadets, schools , local RSL members and Politicians. We even had 2 Light horseman atop their army horses. Many wreaths were laid included one from the local Bunnings store proudly laid by our son in law Mark.the music, the readings were wonderful . well done Ellenbrook RSL !

Its great to see that The Arts and Theatre are alive and well in this great suburb. Ellenbrook Arts – situated on The Main Street and in Charlottes Vineyard state as their mission;

Our aim is to assist with the development of an arts based culture and help sustain a healthy and cohesive community by delivering quality, engaging arts experiences across a range of art forms to the local Ellenbrook community, the Swan Valley region and the greater cultural sector within Western Australia.

Ellenbrook Arts, formerly the Ellenbrook Cultural Foundation, was established in 2002, as a community based, not for profit association with tax deductible status. We are managed by the Ellenbrook Arts Board; we employ two staff members, occasional art project staff and work with a group of dedicated volunteers.

We operate two facilities to assist us in our vision: The Gallery – 34 Main Street in Ellenbrook town centre; and the Grapevine Community Arts Space in Charlotte’s Vineyard, Ellenbrook.

At present Ellenbrook Arts are assisting Toy Soldier Children’s Theatre to present thier performance of “The Happy Prince”. See below for details of this play.

A cheeky, lively Swallow on her way to Egypt meets the statue of a Prince. The Prince is decorated in gold and jewels, but tears are falling from his sapphire eyes – he can see all the misery in his city and can do nothing to help. Based on Oscar Wilde’s much loved children’s tale this performance will keep you captivated up until the last minute.

A wonderful event took place in Ellenbrook over the 28th and 29th March. An exhibit commemorated soldiers of families connected with Ellenbrook residents. The following post appeared in LWP’s Ellenbrook Facebook page. The event was made possible by the Ellenbrook sub branch of the RSL with assistance from LWP and the Great Living History Group. For more photos of the event go to LWP’s facebook page.

The Great War Living History exhibition at the Town Square in Ellenbrook on the weekend of 28 and 29 March was a special opportunity for locals young and old to learn more about our war heroes. The exhibit included a large framed photo of soldiers of the West Australian 44th Battalion voting in the conscription referendum at Neuve Eglise, Messine area, Belgium on 8 December 1917. Among the 35 soldiers was Corporal AL D’Arcy, father of local resident Margaret Kidson who is considered “living history” as she is the daughter of a Western Front ANZAC. Organised by the Ellenbrook sub branch of the RSL with assistance from LWP, the City of Swan and the Great War Living History group the exhibition generating many other photos and stories of Ellenbrook residents connected with the Great War.